I'm just getting started, and am new to the whole forum thing,
I had a few questions for some personal photographic advancements-
what I mean is-
I've never really taken any courses or classes on photography to really know what I am actually doing. I love it all a lot, my D40 is with me where ever I go. Recently, after getting a job- I've been scoping amazon out about everyday to look up lenses. I've been craving a really nice picture that sort of has this effect > http://1.media.tumblr.com/235_r4_500.jpg . I want a lens that is capable of doing the blurry background but with solid dots. I also have a few lens filter questions, but I don't want to bombard my welcome.
Here is who I am;
A 17 year old girl, who has gone through a series of 5 various point and shoots throughout the years to make some decent photos. In February I adopted my baby, D40. I've entered the San Diego County Fair with photos within the past two years and won a ribbon last year. It was for this > melancholy on Flickr - Photo Sharing! . I took it with some sort of panasonic SLR camera look alike, that has since been gifted to my younger brother.

I would love love love and appreciate some aid on how to maneuver this site and a few tips about lenses and filters.
Feel free to say hello c: